Laverne

Played by Sonja Sohn

Laverne

Brandon's fragile mother Laverne needs more parenting than she gives. A drinking problem, lack of ambition, and questionable taste in men have kept her down, and a terrible personal tragedy threatens to derail her all together.

Brandon's fragile mother Laverne needs more parenting than she gives. A drinking problem, lack of ambition, and questionable taste in men have kept her down, and a terrible personal tragedy threatens to derail her all together.

Sonja Sohn

Best known for her starring role as Detective Kima Greggs on all five seasons of the renowned drama series, THE WIRE, Sonja Sohn is the daughter of a Korean mother and African-American father. Born and raised in the south and spending most of her childhood in Newport News, VA, Sohn attended New York City’s School of Visual Arts, City College and Brooklyn College, where her love for writing took over and sent her on an unexpected trajectory towards the entertainment business. In 1998, SLAM, a film she co-wrote and co-starred in, won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize and the Camera d’Or Prize at Cannes. During this period, her notoriety on the spoken word scene also led to a recording contract with Warner Bros.’ London-based label, Artthrob Records, where she and producer, Noel Watson, recorded under the name, Fini Dolo.

Sohn’s work in entertainment over the years includes projects such as THE GOOD WIFE, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, COLD CASE, BODY OF PROOF and BURN NOTICE, as well as the feature films, SHAFT and BRINGING OUT THE DEAD. Known for playing real, strong, soulful characters, Sohn can be seen in recurring arcs on the drama series SHUT EYE and LUKE CAGE. She also directed and executive produced the full-length documentary BALTIMORE RISING.

In 2008, Sohn was inspired to start the non-profit, ReWired For Change by her own life’s journey and her participation in the voter empowerment efforts that took place just before the 2008 presidential election. It was during this time that she witnessed the impact THE WIRE cast had on community members who were living in impoverished neighborhoods. Sohn saw firsthand how celebrity can be used responsibly to influence the lives of people who are often left out of the social equation. Immediately following the campaign trail, she began to galvanize the support of the rest of THE WIRE cast and crew and devise ways in which they could use their creative resources and media access as a force for change in the lives of high- risk youth.